Different Types of Vet Tech Jobs Out There

Being a veterinary technician has many different rewards. Many people get into this profession, mainly because the like working with animals. Most people think that there are jobs out there in a veterinary hospital, and while this is true, there are many other vet tech jobs that don’t make you have to work in a hospital or clinic.

Some of these you may have thought of, but others are completely out of the box. It’s true that those looking for a career being a veterinarian may want to work in an animal hospital, but depending on where you live, there simply may not be these kinds of opportunities. Those working in clinics and hospitals usually stay where they are at for a long time.

The Many Types Of Jobs

In reality, there are numerous vet tech jobs out there.

You can be a traveling vet, going to farms and ranches, giving animals checkups, doing vaccinations, helping birth calves and colts, as well as many other duties.

In addition, because you are an independent operator, you can be on call for emergencies in the middle of the night, on weekends or holidays when normal clinics and hospitals aren’t open.

The more you are available, the more work you are going to be able to get. You may have to start with just one farmer or rancher, but these people are good at spreading the word, so if you are good, they will recommend you to many others they know.

Pounds and animal shelters are always looking for the right veterinary technician to help them out. Some of these jobs may start as voluntary positions, but not only does this community service work well on a resume, but could actually turn into a paying position.

While you may have to euthanize animals sometimes, for the most part you would be performing all the same duties as you would in a vet hospital or clinic. These duties may include doing checkups, giving vaccinations, or even fixing hurt and injured animals that come in.

One thing to note about working at one of these facilities is that you may see abused animals come in, and you have to be able to set your emotions aside in order to help them.

When it comes to vet tech jobs, sometimes you may have to think out of the box.

If you are not afraid to work on large or exotic animals, a veterinary technician job in a zoo or wildlife refuge is a great way to get up close and personal with a wide range of majestic wildlife.

Many major zoos always have some kind of opening for a person like you, one that loves animals and wants to make sure they remain healthy. Again, while some positions may start out as voluntary, for the right person they could turn into a very rewarding paid position, possibly a long-term career.

You don’t even have to work at a wildlife refuge or zoo here in the US. If you like traveling, you can find many different vet tech jobs outside of the country, all over the world.

Speaking of traveling, if you want true excitement, then vet tech jobs working with game wardens around the world. You can visit exotic locations like South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and others. Game wardens need help tagging animals, doing checkups and performing other duties, all relating to the health and well-being of large and often endangered species.

Where else would you be able to help giraffes, rhinos, lions, and even tigers and pandas? You could be living out your traveling dreams, and getting paid well to do it.

While many people may be opposed to this, research on animals is needed for many reasons. You can find a number of veterinary technician jobs working for research companies. You can help make sure these animals are treated fairly, and are not abused. It is important to make sure that these research companies are being ethical, and it can be your job to make sure this happens.

These of course are just some of the vet tech jobs out there, that have nothing to do with working in a veterinary hospital or clinic. It may be close to your graduation, and now is the time to work on finding the job you want. To find the best jobs available, you can start by going online.

There are many different websites available to help you land those dream veterinary technician jobs. However, you are probably not alone, and many of these jobs have waiting lists. It is important that you start your job search as early as possible, so that by the time you graduate you are able to get into your dream job.

Pay Scale For Vet Techs

Now, many of you may be wondering just how much money can be made being a veterinary technician. Well, this all depends on a number of factors. A lot depends on your training and experience, as well as the job you are looking for. Traveling with game wardens, or working with farms and ranches may not pay a lot, around $20-$30 thousand dollars a year, but you are getting paid for traveling around, so being able to do this may be a far greater reward.

Zoos, wildlife refuges and other jobs have about the same pay, but again, the reward you get for working with exotic and endangered species is far greater than the pay. For many just starting out in the veterinary business, you may have to volunteer before you actually find a paying job. Do not be discouraged, because volunteer work looks good on a resume, and it gives you valuable hands on experience.

So as you can see from this article, you don’t just have to work for a vet hospital or clinic to get good vet tech jobs. While for some you have to think out of the box, there are numerous jobs out there for the right person and these are just examples of the many types of jobs vet techs can take on.

However, it is important to understand that while you will be working with animals, you are going to have to deal with the public, many times on a one on one basis. If you really want to be able to get referrals, you need to be very personable and friendly when you deal with people too. If you are not, you may not get very many recommendations.